Soho Saturday

Saturdays are my favorite...as you all know.  What you might not know is most Saturdays I choose to go into work for a few hours to provide students with extra academic support. I love the yummy and exciting life I live, but I have to pay the bills somehow. 

This particular Saturday,  I met Mer downtown in Soho after work. She's been name dropping Jack's Wife Freda for months, so finally we decided to go. 

Jack's Wife Freda is a quaint trendy restaurant with a menu full of Mediterranean faire. The place was packed when we arrived, but we opted to cozy into two seats at their small bar. 

I loved the individualized branding, even on the sugar...gave the place a really personal touch.

We both went for salad options. Mer noshed on the Greek Salad with a side of Grilled Haloumi.

Haloumi is a dense greek cheese that many substitute for meat. Jack's Wife Freda did a beautiful job with the Haloumi, adding in a sweet touch with red and green grapes.

I enjoyed the Tuna Salad. With no mayo, the tuna is mixed with avocado, tomato, onion and balsamic over a bed of arugula.

What's brunch without some Rose?!

The bill came with this fun little postcard. I decided to fill it out then and there.

Next, we made a quick stop at Saturdays for a latte and espresso. The soho location has an awesome outside space. It is such a fun place to people watch and even buy a gnarly gift for the surfer in your life.

Finally, it was necessary to get a few shots in front of this incredible mural by artist Maya Hayuk on Houston & Broadway.  I'm no model, but this backdrop helped inspire me to strike a pose.

(Jeans: Victoria's Secret / Lace top: Joe Fresh / Jacket: Forever21 / Sunglasses: Kate Spade)

(Sweatshirt: H&M / Bag: J.Crew / Sunglasses: Acne Studios / Shoes: Aldo)

Rainbow wishes and Soho dreams!

No Plans Saturday

Gosh I love a spontaneous Saturday.

I'm convinced that my favorite Saturdays are those that flow naturally, totally unplanned. A friend of mine, Jessi, calls them "No Plans Saturday"(check out her awesome blog Modern Wonderland). As someone who likes to plan life down to the minute with checklists and pre-planned events weeks in advance, it has taken a lot to get me to a place where not having plans on a Saturday is actually enjoyable.

Living in NYC, there is always so much to see and do. Not making plans on a Saturday forces me to live in the moment, running from place to place is not an option. Things like strolling through the park, popping by a hole in the wall restaurant to grab a drink, stumbling upon a historical building or undiscovered picturesque community park. The busyness of NYC can keep us from seeing the quaint unique bits and pieces of this beautiful city.

Here is a peek into my "No Plans Saturday"...

The day started on the UWS.

With my friend Meredith.

And this awesome vintage fur and leather jacket my Grandmother gave me that she tailored in the 1950's.

We finally settled on the old faithful Piccolo Cafe for a bite to eat. 

We started with the Greek Salad. I mean come on! It was so good. The hint of capers was just the perfect touch of saltiness. 

I usually opt for the paninis, but today, went for the spaghetti and meatballs. 

Mer also chose a pasta dish, but decided on the Carbonara. I have not ever made Carbonara, but it is an awesome mixture of pancetta, parmesan & egg. It creates something that looks like this...

(Camel Love)

Full full full, I made Mer take a walk across Central Park.

We ended up on the UES...which we consider foreign territory, but we were up for the exploratory challenge. 

Our expedition took us to none other than Sprinkles Cupcakes. I mean, where else would we go!?

These are the mini Ginger Lemon cupcakes. They were out of the regular size, so we made it work.

This is a Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcake - peanut butter cake with chocolate chips and chocolate cream cheese frosting...SHUT UP. 

 I'm pretty sure we didn't talk for about 10 minutes.

As day turned into night, I made a stop by a friend's birthday celebration. We met at La Bottega downtown at the Maritime Hotel. The restaurant has a very relaxed vibe, where guests can order food or just a drink (FYI...they serve Wolffer Rose which is a Fran summertime staple). They have a pool table and amazing outdoor seating for the warmer months.   

Exhausted from a very full "No Plans Saturday", I only stayed a bit before heading home and crawling into bed. 

sweet dreams.

d.eileen